


Christmas Wrapping

by 3amepiphany



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Intern Yuri, M/M, baby intern yuri, yuri is here too
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-25
Updated: 2018-12-25
Packaged: 2019-09-27 11:38:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17161301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/3amepiphany/pseuds/3amepiphany
Summary: Just deck those halls, trim those treesRaise up cups of Christmas cheerI just need to catch my breathChristmas by myself each year





	Christmas Wrapping

**Author's Note:**

  * For [shadhahvar](https://archiveofourown.org/users/shadhahvar/gifts).



> This is for the [Victor's 30th Birthday Exchange](https://twitter.com/birthdayvictor) organized on Twitter! We were given the prompt of our darling Vitenka's 30th, and I did my best to keep it light and SFW. :D
> 
> Based on one of my favorite Christmas tunes, by The Waitresses, this short and sweet little AU brought me some cheer to work on when I needed it. I hope it brings cheer to you, readers, as well.

“Vitya, you miss Christmas every year. We always have to do something special before if we can catch you, or after if you’ve been too quick.” Mila sipped at her coffee, staring him down.

“And we know you don’t even like to do that,” Georgi said, leaning in and trying to make it clear that he was never in on the final decisions when it came to making the birthday plans.

“Please let us have one year where we can plan accordingly and expect you for your own birthday celebrations… instead of having to reschedule it all.”

Victor looked at Mila pleadingly and said, “I really just don’t think I have the energy, Baba, I’m getting old.”

“Oh, pah. Twenty-eight is not old.”

“Even just hearing ‘twenty-eight’ makes my back ache and my hair grey.”

Georgi cackled. Mila rolled her eyes. “Your back aches because you carry all that bullshit around, Vitya,” she told him.

“Technically… technically I won’t be by myself this year if that’s what you’re so worried about. I have Makkachin.”

“You’ve had Makkachin for ten years now.”

“Longer, really.”

“Okay, well, think about how disappointed Chris will be if we don’t host another party for him to be fabulously annoying at,” she whined.

“After Halloween I’m sure he’d think that it was his fault we didn’t schedule something. Look, Mila, I’m not saying you can’t have a party. I will never tell you that you can’t have a party. But I have a non-refundable ticket to Tokyo and plans to make the most of it.” He wasn’t about to tell her that one, it was not non-refundable and two, he’d literally just purchased it twenty minutes before their lunch together.

“Birthday gift to yourself?”

“No, and not a Christmas gift either, so don’t you ask.”

Mila looked at Georgi, who shrugged. 

**

Tokyo greeted him and Makkachin as any other major city would at four in the morning: a little loud and a little lonely. He happily asked if there were any restaurants he could get a quick bite to eat at before boarding a later flight onwards to his next destination, and was guided to a small ramen shop that was delicious and worth the trip itself alone. When asked where he was going from Tokyo, he said he was looking for the best quiet and tucked-away place with a hot spring onsen. He wanted to get out and away from the bustle of the holidays and everything that came along with it.

“If you’re not staying in Tokyo itself?”

“I’m due in Fukuoka on their first flight in… three hours from now?”

“There is Yu-topia in Hasetsu,” one of the ramen chefs said. “Very down-to-earth family owns that one and it’s fairly well-known. You can't miss it, actually, I think it’s the only place of its kind still open there. Hasetsu is sort of… it's out of the way and very quaint. So it might be just what you are looking for. Just a train ride south. It would make a very nice day trip.”

Victor thanked him for the recommendation, as that appeared to be in the exact direction he was headed anyways. It very well could be where he settled in for his trip entirely, if the online reviews of the place were any more of an indication of how great it was. The pet-friendly notification was also a welcome sight, and he looked down at Makkachin happily, who was enjoying a bowl of rice and grilled chicken with broth.

Once there, however, he wondered how many of those reviews were from actual tourists and not town residents on a fancy weekend out, and tried to do the math on how long it had been since the most recent review had been left. Yu-topia was indeed the last onsen in the area and it definitely showed signs of struggle in trying to stay open. Frankly most of the town as he’d walked through it from the train station seemed to be like that, but he found himself enamoured and ready to hideout from the rest of the world. There were some Christmas-type decorations on the trees outside of the doorway to the main building that made him break a small smile, and he studied them for a moment before heading inside. Lots of pretty maple leaves that looked like they came from the very trees in the resort yard, and painted silver to match the ribbon and beaded trim that encircled the trees as well.

The Katsuki family was very excited to receive him, and they all spoke English very well, making communication for him that much easier. He admitted that he had yet to begin fully learning Japanese and apologized for it, but father Toshiya and mother Hiroko insisted that he would find himself picking up their conversational dialect in Hasetsu in no time. Their daughter Mari asked if he’d be staying in any of the hotels near the train station or if he’d like to room at the onsen, and as she finished booking him for a few day’s stay and placing his lunch reservation, she asked her brother to help show him around the onsen and to his room.

Yuuri had occupied himself already with Makkachin, and took a moment to formally introduce himself to Victor. He was tiny and round-faced and suddenly Victor was kicked far, far away from his holiday funk. “Call me Yuuri, please, Mr. Nikiforov.”

“As in Yu-topia?” Victor asked, glad to see that Makkachin had made a new friend already.

He hesitated, and turned red in the face a bit. “...Parents, right?”

“That’s very adorable. I noticed the little shrine in the entrance to the building. Family pet?”

“Yes! He isn’t with us anymore. But. Your dog is very kind and well-behaved. Reminds me very much of our Vicchan.”

“Vicchan. Sounds like one of the many nicknames my associates might call me. This is Makkachin. He already likes you very much, I can tell.” Makkachin made a low ‘boof’ sort of sound instead of a full-on bark, tail wagging, and Victor laughed. “Don’t you, Makka? Call me Victor.”

Yuuri helped Victor settle in and navigate the property, and as Victor passed Toshiya later on his way to the showers and springs he made sure to express how helpful he had been, answering every question that had come to mind and generally letting Victor be annoyingly curious. Sliding down into one of the spring pools shortly after, he took a few moments to skim the messages he’d been getting on his phone (including the half-assed “Where in the world is Vitya now,” messages from Mila and the “Text me to let me know if you are safe or dead,” message from his mentor, Yakov, which he responded to quickly with a simple “Not dead. Safe and fed.”) before setting it on his towel that he had placed to the side and relaxing in the hot water completely. This was going to be a grand visit.

The next day was Christmas eve, and he took his dinner late in the bar to watch some news and whatever sports might be airing and available. He was the only one there, which was surprising to him considering the local business the resort bar had seen the night before. Mari gave him the television remote and told him to knock himself out; she’d be cleaning the foyer if he needed anything - and after a while of watching television and ignoring the few phone notifications he was starting to get, he was distracted when Yuuri came in with a tray of food, apologizing if he was intruding.

Victor shrugged and asked him to join him. Time to be annoyingly curious about Yuuri. “Your mother prepares some amazing meals.”

“She does,” Yuuri said, tucking into his dinner after retrieving a beer for each of them from the bar. “Are you enjoying your stay?”

“I am. Though I have to say that I’ve yet to take a look at your gift shop. When do you close it?”

“Twenty minutes ago, I think. But if you’d like I can still help you with a purchase.”

“In a bit. Let’s have another drink, I think.” Victor found him very articulate, if shy, and he asked him a myriad of questions about life in Hasetsu, his schooling, why he chose the United States for his degree and what his plans were now, and if he was seeing anyone or anything like that. He wasn’t too much younger than Victor, but he seemed very sure in himself in saying that he’d like to use his business degree to help the resort and keep it operational. Victor was smitten. 

They each had another two beers and joked about how his phone would not stop going off with notifications. When the gift shop came up in conversation again, Yuuri asked him if he’d like to take a look at what they had. Mari had already closed down the register, but Yuuri assured him it wasn’t an issue and to go ahead and browse.

After some time, Victor said, “I love everything here, I’m not sure what I should pick. What would you recommend I take home to remind me of my vacation here at the hot springs?”

Yuuri leaned forward a bit, pausing in his search of the cabinet drawer for their receipt book, and said, “Well. I personally like the tea tins. But I think you could also do well with the yukata, embroidered with our logo. If you don’t mind waiting another two days I’m sure my mother could contact the embroidery shop to have your name put on it. We would be working against the holiday, of course, so I apologize for the wait it would entail. Definitely would have it to you before your stay here ends.”

He went back to shuffling around in the drawer, pulling his glasses back down off of his head and resting them crookedly on the bridge of his nose. They started to slide down a bit. Victor reached over and pushed them back up and straightened them, and said, “There is a bit of a problem with that.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. We could even have it shipped home if you’d provide an address.”

“My birthday is tomorrow. Or. Well. In a few hours.”

“Oh no! Well that makes it a bit more unfortunate. But wait, are you looking at a birthday gift for yourself, then?”

Victor nodded, and shrugged. He was, and he wasn’t.

“...Tell you what. I’ll pick something then.”

“You’ll pick a gift for me.”

“Yes. And I will wrap it as well - that way you have a surprise. And a gift to unwrap.”

“That’s very kind of you. To be honest, I don’t really celebrate either my birthday or Christmas. I just kind of wanted a souvenir.”

Yuuri stood there, having found the receipt book and swaying a bit. “....So think of me as your personal shopper, then. Don’t think of this as Christmas or your birthday.”

“Charming. It’s fine, it can be for those things, it was mostly just saying that I don’t go out of my way for the day. I trust your judgement, my personal shopper.” And with that, he was ushered back over into the bar so Yuuri could stumble back over into the gift shop area and complete his new task. After some time, Victor had finished what was left of his meal and drink, and stumbled back over to the counter, where Yuuri was carefully wrapping a box, and beautifully so. The gift wrap was a delicate sky blue and the ribbon was silver, and he called it the ‘sakura’ wrap. The ends were pointed immaculately but instead of a plain folded-over end that hid one point under the other, Yuuri had brought them both up and over the top of the box where the edges of the paper were taped down the middle, layering the ribbon between the two points on either side and effectively hiding that seam. It left the backside immaculate. Normally it would be done for the spring festivals and would use papers and ribbons in shades of pinks and reds to match the cherry blossom trees, but he thought that with these colors it would be a clean and concise, yet very stately presentation. And it was. Victor was impressed. “That is stunning. I almost don’t want to unwrap it.”

“It’s meant to be opened! You can wholly appreciate this presentation but part of doing so is opening the gift. But you can’t open it until tomorrow.”

“I can hold off that long. What do I owe you for this? Can you charge it to my room? After I had you search for the receipt book instead of opening the register?”

“I will make sure it’s charged to your room, no worries.”

Yuuri came back to join him in the bar and finish his own meal, setting down the gorgeously wrapped present and fetching them each another beer, eager to talk about what it was Victor did for a living that would have him traveling during a holiday. “Corporate real estate is very boring.”

“It may seem so. I can think of a few business owners here in Hasetsu who would say otherwise. Or. Former business owners. My parents wouldn’t happen to be planning anything would they?”

“Hm? Oh! No, no no. I’m literally just here by recommendation. I was told about several little places I should visit and this one seemed the most intriguing. A real hot spring. Built on a hot spring. Couldn’t resist. So here I am. There is no funny business or business at all. Except mine as a person who would like to use the hot springs. I did notice that your family’s place is the only one open. Are you worried?”

“A bit.”

“No competition, as I see it. I’ll be sure to write a good review. I’ve had a lovely time so far. I’ve even gotten some shopping done.” He smirked over his glass at Yuuri, who blushed an even deeper pink than he already was.

“I don’t mean to bring it up again if it’s a sore point but I would like to say that I understand how a birthday on a holiday could be a little annoying.”

“Ah. It’s nothing to me to get out and away from it. At home there are always people trying to throw me a party in the hopes I will attend. Lucky for them when I don’t show it just becomes a lovely holiday party and it still goes well for them. No hard feelings between any of us. I think the more this goes on though, the older I get, the harder they try. It might be more of a game to them now. They probably have a betting pool of whether or not I will go to the party. Would it be wrong of me to bet on myself and then show up?”

“I’d think if they saw you put money down for it at all they would know something was up.”

“This is true.”

“How old are you?”

“Twenty-eight, tomorrow.”

“Does that worry you?”

There was some hesitation in his answer, but finally, Victor said, “My parents had set me up early on even if I don’t remember them at all. But my mentor and the company have been my whole life and I’m not sure if I should retire early or stay on board. What will all of it have been for? I don’t like the attention now but what will my life be after it? ...I guess I prefer to disappear on my own terms.”

Yuuri thought about that for a moment before nodding and finishing his beer. As he collected their dishes to take back behind the bar to wash, he said, “Well, I hope with your… souvenir tomorrow, you feel seen, but feel no expectation. I must finish some cleaning and get everything ready for opening back up again tomorrow. If you’ll excuse me. I hope you have a good night!”

“Thank you, very much for your help today, Yuuri.”

“You are most welcome, Victor.”

Victor smiled widely, and wished him a good night.

It wasn’t until he was reviewing his invoicing for his stay that he noticed that the souvenir and the gift wrapping services hadn’t been charged to his room as he’d anticipated, and he was well over Jakarta at that point, returning home.

He also realized that he hadn’t exchanged contact information with the proprietors’ son before leaving, either. He wanted to stay in touch with his new friend. Maybe come back out to Hasetsu again through the year and... “Oh, Vitya,” he mumbled to himself.

**

“Oh, Vitya!” Mila sighed over the phone. “Tokyo?? Didn’t you go to Japan for Christmas last year?”

“Didn’t I go where for what, now?” He looked around him at the terminal, eager to be out of St. Petersburg and in Hasetsu already. Makkachin sat next to him, content with not rushing around or through security or anything for the moment, travel harness on and tags jingling as he scratched at an itch behind his ear with a back leg.

“I ordered mini pavlovas for you this time, you jerk.”

“I’ll find a bakery here and have one. Pretend I’m there with you at the party.”

“Are you even properly taking a vacation from work? You’re not making them open that whole building just for you to come in and work, are you? What are you even doing?”

“Ice skating,” he said mirthfully.

“You don’t ice skate.”

“Learning how to ice skate.”

“Vitya.”

“I’ll see you after the new year, Baba, I promise. Thank you again for the wonderful party. I’m sure it will be an absolute delight this year. Please don’t let Christophe share any more embarrassing stories about me and Stéphane, unless Stéphane is there to give his blessing.”

“That’s how I know you don’t ice skate, Vitenka.”

“He tells that story every year, though.”

“Please be safe.”

He made his direct flight from Tokyo to Fukuoka with minutes to spare, and he and Makkachin made even quicker time to Hasetsu on the train by booking the next line out. After a final whirlwind of a check-in, Victor asked Mari kindly but in an obviously excited manner where Yuuri was. “Midday? He’s likely taking in a supply shipment with Dad. They should be done shortly but I can let him know you’re asking for him specifically….?”

“That would be fantastic. Would he be able to take me around Hasetsu? I’d wanted to ask the last time I was here but I found myself lacking in want to do anything more than soak in the springs, sleep, and eat. This time it is different.”

“I’m sure it is,” she said with a wry smile, taking Makkachin’s leash in hand and giving the poodle a scratch behind the ear. “I’ll let him know you arrived but for the moment, let’s get you to your room.”

Victor threw himself excitedly onto the bed once Mari had excused herself, and he lay there for a minute or two as Makkachin sniffed and snuffled around the room. They had laid out a bed just for Makkachin as well, a very nice touch. Once he’d had his fill of rolling around and stretching all of his joints out, he set about unpacking his suitcase - enough clothes and things he would need for the week and a ton of gifts, some wrapped (for the Katsukis) and some unwrapped.

He was putting a pretty boxed snowglobe down in the unwrapped pile when he heard a knock at the door. It was Yuuri, cheeks flushed. He was a little out of breath. “Victor!”

“Yuuri! Hello!” Victor felt his own face growing a bit warm, and he knew his smile must have looked ridiculous. “Has it been a year between us?”

“It has, I’m sorry. Gosh, when I’d told my mother that I’d just gotten off the phone with you and you wanted to book the holiday again, I don’t know who was more excited. She or I. Well. It was probably her. She was the one that pointed out that I needed to call you again to complete the booking info and suddenly it went from excitement to embarrassment. I’m sorry I’m so poor with emailing. Calling. Social media. Everything. I’ve mostly been pouring myself into the onsen.”

“It was a good excuse to connect regardless. But you can make up for it now. I’m stealing you away for some important work this week and I’ve got your family’s permission to do so. First, I need your excellent gift-wrapping skills here, some items for my coworkers. Secondly, I need a guide around Hasetsu. I didn’t get that last trip and it’s been haunting me since, and I still have more holiday shopping to do.” He gestured at the pile of gifts on the bed and Yuuri’s eyes went wide.

“Okay. What would you like to do first?”

“Eat, actually. I can’t get katsudon in St. Petersburg and I have been tempted to fly out all year long for a dish of it. And to see you.”

“We’ve got some seasonal beers this year from a new local brewery that’s starting up across town. Let’s go, I’ll start by giving you a tour of the kitchen here.”

Most of the week followed through in this same manner - teasing and joking, and sightseeing. They’d even gotten in a round of skating at the local rink where Yuuri’s friends worked. It left them battered and bruised and in need of an extra soak in the springs before bed that evening as neither of them were very good at skating at all (despite Victor having dated a professional figure skater at one point). It was fun and educational for Victor, and he had the opportunity to exercise the Japanese he’d been practicing through the year. Yuuri was impressed. 

Victor saw everything Hasetsu had to offer, including Yuuri.

They saved wrapping the gifts for the last night, and unwrapping the gifts Victor had brought for the Katsukis. He was astounded yet again by the beautiful work Yuuri had produced, and also enchanted by how entertaining it was to try to learn the tips and tricks and styles for himself.

At the end of his visit, Victor made Yuuri promise that he would keep up on social media and stay in contact. He’d broached the idea that they could fly him out for a visit soon enough, and did so with a little trepidation. But Yuuri seemed open to the idea, and they decided that they could definitely make plans. Even as he was headed to the train station, Victor’s phone was buzzing with well-wishes for his 29th birthday and holiday greetings, and apologies for having missed him but oh, weren’t his Instagram pictures of Japan beautiful… and as their realty firm’s youngest intern, Yuri, asked, who was that he was with?

**

Mila broke the news to Victor a couple of nights before their Halloween party - Yuuri’s visa had been denied due to a paperwork issue and he was appealing the decision, but it meant that he might not be able to travel internationally for some time yet. He’d left the message with her as Victor had been in a meeting with Yakov, and she was sad to relay it. She must have seen it in his face, though, already formulating a plan for Christmas. 

Another birthday he’d be happy to miss. She said nothing to him about that. At least not until it got closer to the holiday and time to plan the party, as usual.

By then, however, Victor was already fighting with the airlines over trying to book a flight that wasn’t going to get canceled due to weather or delays, so he wasn’t much of a joyful argument about a party he wasn’t attending. He asked Georgi at one point if he’d be comfortable having phone calls forwarded to him while he was out, and if he’d be alright with taking that on a day or so earlier. Georgi agreed with some hesitation, and Victor apologized for it greatly.

“But Victor, it’s your thirtieth. Can’t we at least get you for a private dinner between us all the day before you leave for Japan? No funny stuff, no surprise party,” Mila asked him, sitting on his desk after having cornered him in his office as he was finishing the last of some smaller tasks for the week. “We can still try to find you a flight for Monday. What will that do to your reservations over there?”

“Yuuri’s parents can accommodate me a day early, I’m sure. I’ve got to leave Sunday, Mila, I’m very sorry. I’m also very sorry that this is no fun for us. I know how this is the greatest time of year for you.”

“I just like to tease you, Vitya, you know that. This year’s just a little bit more special though. It’s a milestone for you. We’d like to celebrate for you properly. Let’s let Yuri try to reschedule a flight for you, please?”

Victor, frustrated about everything for the first time in however long he could remember, shook his head. “I can’t, Baba. The flights only get earlier and earlier. And if he can’t travel, I don’t know what else to do.”

Even Makkachin seemed stressed out and he wasn’t very excited to be traveling. He made a fuss in the car ride over to the airport, made a fuss at the curb, made a fuss checking in, and made a fuss all the way up to customs. Victor felt terrible for him, and as they signed off on his baggage and papers, he knelt down to apologize to his poor pup. Once done there, he shuffled his belongings around and thanked the customs officer for their promptness in processing him through. Makkachin ‘boofed’, and it was then that Victor looked up and saw Yuuri.

He took a few awkward steps before realizing that he wasn’t going to catch him as the younger man was down on the other side of the terminal and getting further away. So he yelled.

“Yuuri!”

Everyone in the vicinity turned to look.

Except for Yuuri. He was looking at his phone and likely had his headphones in - so Victor called for him again, and said “There, with the blue scarf and hat,” when someone offered up a hand to stop the younger man from wandering too far off without getting the message he was being called for. “Yuuri!” Victor struggled with both Makkachin’s leash and his suitcase, and finally just let his poodle go, hoping that the big dog was enough to grab Yuuri’s attention.

But with a gentle tap on the shoulder from one person and a pointed finger from another, Yuuri looked up.

It wasn’t a moment too soon, either, as Makkachin tackled him, sending him stumbling back and falling over, propped up awkwardly by his backpack. “Victor!?” he called, and saw him approaching, dragging his laptop bag and suitcase and basically just looking like an absolute mess.

“Victor!! Mila said she tried to get you to wait and I got so worried that I’d miss you! I was coming in a day early to surprise you!”

“What??” Victor said, dropping his things and kneeling to greet him and get a hold of Makkachin again. “I kept trying for later flights but it just wasn’t working out… Well, I don’t think this one is going to work out, either. Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”

“I just said it was a surprise! Generally when it’s a surprise you don’t tell the other party what’s going on,” Yuuri said as Victor wrapped himself around him. They stayed like that for a moment or two before Yuuri had to get up, and as he helped Victor gather his belongings he explained what had happened with his visa and how he’d gotten it reinstated. “They knew it’d be a sure way to get you to show up for your birthday.”

Victor laughed. Makkachin danced about between them. “I still have a flight to catch. I wonder if we could surprise Mila.”

Down at the baggage claim, Victor did his best to stay out of sight while Yuuri went to collect his suitcase. Makkachin sat very patiently, feeling and behaving much better, and Victor took the time to cancel his flight arrangement and to dig Yuuri’s gift out of his carry-on - then Mila called.

“Vitenka.”

“Baba, we’re ready to taxi down the runway. They’re going to ask me to put the phone away in a moment.”

“You’re going to be upset.”

“Why, darling?”

“Well. Georgi and I had a surprise, but it’s been spoiled… Yuuri is here in St. Petersburg.” Victor came down around the corner of the stairwell, watching her very obviously stress out over the phone as Yuuri waited quietly to the side. He was silent just long enough for her to ask if he was still on the line, and then she apologized again. He told her that it wasn’t a problem. “But. You’re on your flight already.”

He tried to approach the group slowly but Makkachin saw Mila and kept pulling, and he almost dropped all of his baggage again.

She saw the soft smirk on Yuuri’s face and then turned to see the two of them. After some shocked greetings, laughter, and another apology, she said, “I think we went too far in trying to get you to the party…”

Victor laughed, putting a hand out for Yuuri to hold. “Are you kidding? I couldn’t miss this one this year.” In his other hand he had the little gift, wrapped using the “sakura” style that Yuuri had first shown to him a couple of years earlier.

“Vitya, a birthday gift for someone else?” Mila asked.

“And for Christmas, too.”

“It’s such a lovely wrapping job. I can’t wait to open it,” Yuuri told him quietly.


End file.
